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NCAA Final Four and Championship Games in HD |
For the fourth year running, CBS will present several NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games in high-definition, but for the first time will broadcast those games in 5.1 channels of CD quality surround sound. Sears, Roebuck and Co. is partnering with the network to make the presentations.
NCAA Action on WRAL
WRAL-TV will once again offer all the NCAA games via multi-casting. All first and second round regional games will appear between WRAL-TV’s analog station and its digital channels (WRAL-DT 53.2/cable 256 – WRAL-DT 53.1/Cable 257 – WRAL-DT 53.2/Cable 258 – WRAL-TV 53.4/Cable 259). The games broadcast in HD will appear on FOX50’s digital channel 49.1/Cable 250). |
The Final Four and the championship game will be presented in HD. The total coverage includes 12 high-definition games, beginning with first-round coverage from Birmingham, AL with four games on Friday, March 21 and two games on Sunday, March 23. The high-definition coverage then moves to San Antonio for the South Region with two games on Friday, March 28, and one game on Sunday, March 30. The first eight of these games will be broadcast regionally.
The national broadcast in HD begins with the Sunday, March 30 match-up in San Antonio and continues with the two semi-final games and the National Championship Game. The high-definition broadcasts will be downconverted to analog for viewers with regular television sets; however, the quality of the picture will still be substantially higher than normal.
The NCAA will be CBS’ second broadcast in 5.1 digital surround sound. The network provided the Grammy telecast on Sunday, February 23, in the same high-quality format.
“The combination of high-definition and CD quality surround sound provides an extraordinary experience for NCAA Basketball Tournament viewers watching the games on CBS,” said CBS Sports President Sean McManus. “The coverage will really bring the game home for millions of college basketball fans, and we are very pleased to be partnering with Sears in making this experience a reality.”
